Adding the Wow Factor to Development

The design of new property is a collaboration of architects, investors and the existing community. Ideally, cumulative creativity spawns exciting new places.

Placemaking is a hot topic for local planners. Often there is a big divide between the business community who look at the viability and a local authority who are undertaking visioning workshops for a large development. As such, it is important that we bridge this divide. Development does not need to be boring; good design is essential in creating a development, which captures the imagination and is welcomed by the local community, residents and investors (e.g.real asset fund managers). So how can this be achieved?

Firstly, engage a good design team; a team that has the flair, imagination and organisation to translate the clients’, local authorities’ and local communities’ aspirations into a workable scheme, adding their own quality and style to the plans.

Secondly, put together a highly experienced technical team, a team which cannot only identify key constraints, but which can also produce workable solutions with the design team. Seeing the constraints as a potential opportunity allows the design team to integrate this into the overall masterplan. For instance, in the Lucent Lincolnshire Lakes planning applications, the drainage system was designed not only to provide a functional network but also to offer a visual amenity and ecological benefits, adding to the individual character of the development.Financial backers who are familiar with investing in real assets understand how sustainable and aesthetic features add value to the final product.

Thirdly, effective and meaningful public consultation is essential. Developers often see this as a negative but effective public consultation cannot only be good PR, it can also produce good ideas. In a recent Lucent residential development, local residents were objecting to the proximity of the development to their properties. Supported by key members of its design team, Lucent met with the objectors. Following a short discussion we were able to agree a design solution that met the visual amenity aspirations of the local residents but also added to the quality of the design –­ as well as the objectives of the property fund managers who were backing the project.  The residents subsequently withdrew their objection to the planning application.

Fourthly, establish an overall concept. All developments require a vision or a concept:  indeed, a Design and Access Statement requires this. In major developments, the initial work is often undertaken by a local authority through public consultation. However, the developer then has to translate this into a developable scheme. A defined vision guides the development and the design and also helps market the end product. Originality is good as long as it is based in commercial reality. We have all heard of concepts that we know will never be built. As such it is essential that both the public and private sectors sign up to an agreed concept. The devil is always in the detail; however, this can be worked through stage by stage. Lucent also likes to work with local authorities to produce design guides to maintain the quality of the development through the life cycle of the scheme.

Finally, keep within budget. Viability is essential to any scheme. Without an appropriate return to investors, a scheme will never leave the design stage. Providing financial discipline is maintained and a local authority is realistic regarding developer contributions, clients/developers are more than happy to produce schemes with imagination and character and which contain the wow factor.